NRL LIVE updates: Roosters erase Broncos’ half-time lead in Brisbane

That didn’t take long. After a couple of plays the Roosters send it through the hands to the left. Like he was early in the game Billy Smith finds himself with the ball with not a lot of space, but this time he does brilliantly to hold off Jesse Arthars and crash over in the corner.

Sam Walker has a tough conversion attempt to put his team in front but he misses it right.

Broncos 16, Roosters 16 with 36 minutes left

It’s really raining hard in Brisbane as the teams come out for the second half, and Brisbane’s Jack Gosiewski takes the first hit-up after the break only to be met with a crunching hit from Salesi Foketi. Gosiewski takes a little while to get to his feet after that one.

These conditions will make free-flowing attack a little trickier, but the Roosters love to chance their hand whenever they can – even this season when completion rates appear to be more important than ever. The Chooks completed just 63% of their first-half sets, compared with Brisbane’s 82%.

Now the bunker is taking a look at a possible professional foul as Mark Nawaqanitawase is interfered with while going up for a bomb in the Broncos’ in-goal. The verdict is it’s a penalty but no sin-bin or penalty try. In any case, the Roosters have the chance to regain the lead.

Broncos 16, Roosters 12 with 38 minutes left

Stephen Crichton’s reinvention as a five-eighth is continuing to bear fruit for Canterbury as the Bulldogs captain shrugged off another injury scare in a 30-12 win over the Gold Coast.

Six days on from his field-goal heroics in the Dogs’ defeat of Manly – and in just his second NRL game in the halves – Crichton showed the poise of a veteran playmaker by guiding Cameron Ciraldo’s side to a third win on the spin.

The Samoan international had three assists and kicked five goals on Friday at Cbus Super Stadium, playing on after reeling out of a tackle on Gold Coast fullback Keano Kini late in the first half.

Crichton, who missed game two of the State of Origin series with a shoulder injury, made it to half-time and then soldiered on to put the Titans to bed in the second half.

The only injury concern for Ciraldo, as his side claimed a fourth win in five games, was winger Jacob Kiraz, who picked up a suspected rib injury and was replaced by Bronson Xerri.

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And the chaos continues! The Roosters take the ball back to halfway after Reece Walsh’s failed field goal attempt, then Daly Cherry-Evans throws a pass in front of James Tedesco but behind Robert Toia.

The ball goes to ground, Josiah Karapani bumps into Mark Nawaqanitawase as the two rival wingers try to regather it, and Grant Anderson picks the ball up instead and runs clear to score.

Walsh misses his conversion but the Broncos will be very happy to have the lead here.

Broncos 16, Roosters 12 after 39 minutes

Another nice raid from the Roosters ends with Sam Walker chipping a kick into the in-goal and Brisbane centre Grant Anderson is forced to take the ball over the dead-ball line.

This time Reece Walsh goes short with the dropout, with a low, hard grubber towards the sideline, and Hugo Savala fails to grab it cleanly and Jesse Arthars pounces on it.

Thene there’s a chaotic couple of minutes, with Mark Nawaqanitawase leaping to grab an intercept, only for Payne Haas to return serve with an intercept of his own a few tackles later (though Haas’s comes from a scrappy pass that goes to ground).

Then Walsh takes a 40-metre pop shot for a field goal, which goes wide.

Broncos 12, Roosters 12 after 37 minutes

It’s becoming a bit of a scoring spree now. The Roosters get into Brisbane territory and James Tedesco takes it upon himself to create something, following the ball in the middle, then taking a pass, drifting right, shrugging off two would-be tacklers then rolling in a grubber for Robert Toia to score. Quality stuff from the skipper.

Good game this so far.

Broncos 12, Roosters 12 after 27 minutes

A sloppy play-the-ball from Mark Nawaqanitawase hands possession to Brisbane inside the Roosters’ half, as news comes from the sheds that Xavier Willison has failed his HIA.

But the Broncos take advantage of Nawaqanitawase’s error as Tom Duffy and Brendan Piakura combine again – this time reversing roles – with Duffy rolling in a nice grubber and Piakura diving over to grab the try.

It’s been a great few minutes for Brisbane.

Broncos 12, Roosters 6 after 23 minutes

The Broncos finally breach the Roosters defence after a repeat set and they do it in style, Reece Walsh linking up with Ben Hunt before Brendan Piakura pops a great late offload for Tom Duffy to score his first NRL try.

Walsh makes no mistake with the conversion and it’s all square.

Broncos 6, Roosters 6 after 20 minutes